[Greengoose]

95% of the time I keep it at 4200 rpm or lower. Currently at 300 miles. A few times I had to bump it up to 5800 to pass someone or pop onto the interstate. Once I took it to 7000+ to prove a point. Is the rpm limit a guide to follow most of the time or all of the time? I iknow the motor wont blow up and its better to observe the guide lines of the break-in rules. But 1000 miles of babying is difficult.

 

[Tony]

Thoughts on break-in.

I'm no expert on engine design or the theories of the internal combustion engine, but I do have over 40 years of motorcycling experience and quite a number of new bikes in my past. Most of those bikes have been from one of the top 3 Japanese manufacturers. I have never pampered a new bike during break-in. For the first hundred miles or so I try to keep my trips short and watch the fluid levels and engine temperature very closely. At around 300 miles I usually do the first oil change, including filter. This is to remove any metal particles that may have found their way into the engine during assembly and the particles that are a part of the normal break-in process. After that first oil change I ride the bike the same as an older, well broken in machine. I'm not telling you to follow my guidelines, just saying that I have enjoyed many thousand miles of riding with no problems resulting from this procedure. Of course you should follow the manufacturers guideline for further required maintenance. The only exceptions to this break-in routine were a BMW R100S, a MotoGuzzi, and a Harley.

 

[daveman]

don't worry

I've broken in a couple of new bikes, and I've never really "followed the rules," either. I have heard some people argue for a "hard break-in." It's supposed to get a better ring seat, etc.

If you think it's hard to keep an AN650 under 4K RPM, try it on an AN400! It's hard to just get rolling without giving it over 4K RPM! I exceeded 4K RPM just slowly driving it up the ramp into my pickup truck!

I did "take it easy" for the first 100 miles or so. But I quickly found myself going up to, and beyond, 6K RPM. I did try to vary the engine speed when driving to work, though. It's really difficult to safely follow the break-in schedule on public roads.

 

[jas340]

I concur with the above two posts. I tried not to overy abuse the machine but I did not follow the 4k break in rule. The most important thing to me is to vary the RPMs. Also if I reved it kind of hard I backed it back off to 4k so the engine could dissipate any extra heat build up.
Heres one more theory: If you are trying to run the Burg at 4k you may be keeping it that RPM for too long. That would not be good. Just my two cents.

 

[mick6502003]

Engine speed variation seems to be the most common thread on break in, and has been for many years. Exceeding break in RPM for extended periods can cause overheating. Think of it as the streching exercises before you work out.

 

[Greengoose]

I should be hitting my 1000 mile mark today! The streets wont be safe now that im properly broken in.
-Bryan

 

[pauljo]

Break-in rpm

I am approaching 1300 miles on my 650. Had it just under 3 weeks. This thing is so much fun to ride! I did not adhere to the rev limitations during break-in. But I avoided full throttle most of the time for the 1st 500 miles or so. The most important thing is to vary engine load and speed. I have broken in many new bikes & cars this way with never a problem.

 

[mail_to_e_stewart]

Warning... this is controversal material.

http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

 

[BRICOLAS]

break in

hello, bought a 650 for my home in florida, as a second vehicle, last cycle i had was a vmax vintage 1986 thru 92 scary bike this 650 is one the best toys i bought in years!!! my wife hates bikes but after last week on this thing she cant wait to go back!! bad thing is she thinks she can handle it at 5.3 110 lb i may get her something a little smaller! ok i got carried away first post, i have built 3 stroker motors for some muscle cars i have we throw them in, get the oil thru the motor and heads fire it up back out of the garage a let the clutch fly!! break in periods in my 30 years with cars (i am 45) and i have owned 54 so far is ride them hard to get more hp later that my opinion

Louie safe riding ( o ya i had 15 miles in my burgy and fired it to 7k, not long

 

[Guest]

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[rrjoly]

RPM as MPH equivalents

Am curious if the RPMs can be made equivalent to mph ranges. For example, riding home on the 650 from the dealer the other day I was up to 67 mph and mostly 60 for about 20 miles. I hadn't read the manual and don't know if I exceeded the 4000 rpm recommendation for the first 500 miles.

 

[Guest]

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[ajwood]

Two Front Brake Rotors on a 650. Yeah-Right

Covert,

I read another one of your break-in posts about not babying it after
warm-up and followed that advice on a new AN400K3.
The oil and filter were changed at 105mi. after letting the RPM's go
where they wanted, but not for very long.
The 400 hasn't lost any oil at the dip stick since the first oil change.
At 325 miles, I feel a Power-To-Weight contest with a lean and mean 400
and a fat 650 is coming real soon.

I'll start this sentence off in Covert-ese by saying:
Heck, if it breaks I'll get it fixed under warranty.

 

[Guest]

[No message]

 

[Timothy Ma]

Breaking in a 400

I had the same problem with the 400. Its next to impossible to keep the revs down and when you are in city traffic its either get run over or rev it to get up to speed. I'm taking it easy the first 100 or so miles (160 kms) and then do an oil change. I'll wait until 1000 kms before changing the filter. So many opinions and only so many bikes one can own.

 

[Dodger]

Well, I hate to disagree, but I had to have a bike engine rebuilt because of this method of break-in.
I bought a new 1996 Yamaha Virago 1100. The dealer told me to ride it like it was used. Rode it home, 60 miles, over a hill with about 1,000 ft of altitude change and used lots of rpm. Everything seemed fine and I assumed all was well. Within a month the engine began to smoke and use oil. I took it back to the dealer, they tore it down and found all the rings were broken! Not only that but Yamaha would NOT cover it under warranty. Ever since then I have been very careful to follow the manufactures instructions on any new vehicle I have purchased and have not had any problems.

To each his own.

 

[Greg]

Dodger,

It would be nearly impossible to break piston rings from not running in correctly

As you mentioned 1,000ft hill @ hi revs most likely engine was detonating (pinging or pre ignition) under heavy load that would break rings …

And I would have argued it out with dealer for warranty even if rings where broken, if engine couldn't handle the load it's not your fault.

If the hand book stated not to ride uphill then that would be different but I don't think that would ever happen ?

Greg ...

 

[Dodger]

Believe me Greg, I argued. Yamaha's position was the bike had been improperly ridden or possibly raced(?) and I couldn't prove any different. I even got a lawyer but, after a couple of letters, was told it would probably cost more to fight than switch. I think the rings must have been faulty or jammed in the cylinders (the Virago is air cooled).

Dodger

 

[Greg]

Dodger,

That sucks

It's good that money and time to drag thinks out allways seem to win

Greg

 

[hatman]

Not essential at all is surely the answer, but prudent if it's your own hard-earned tied up in the thing.

Read any bike/scooter journal road test of brand new machines and they never mess about with running-in nonsense, they just hammer them from the word go and, as far as I can recall, I've never heard of a test machine going bang as a result of such treatment.

Another odd point to all this is why are we still expected to run new bike engines in and yet new car engines haven't required running in for twenty years or more?